Duskflower's Guide To The Herbs
by XBrokenButNotDeadX
Summary: Duskflower explains to the medicine cats of today what all of her herbs do. Settle down and learn from the ancient she cat.


**This is my OC medicine cat's guide to the herbs. I hope you enjoy and your medicine cats find this of use. Now, Let's let Duskflower explain!**

_"Hmmmm? What do all my herbs mean, you ask? Well, sit down, get comfortable and I'll tell you everything about all of my herbs!"_

Alder bark- Toothaches. Eat.  
Alfalfa\- used to prevent tooth decay.  
Aloe Vera- Use the gel inside of leaves to cure skin problems or burns.  
Ash (Tree) - New shoots are to be eaten, and chewed and applied to the bite of an Adder or Viper to stave off the effects of its poisoned bite.  
Blessed Thistle - increases circulation of blood  
Borage Leaves - used to treat fevers and helps nursing mothers with their milk supply. Borage should never be used dried, only green.  
Bramble Twigs- Chew this into a fine syrup. It helps to sleep.  
(Broken) Rosemary Blossoms - used to heal eye infection or to cover up wounds around the eyes or eyelids.  
Broom- helps broken legs and other serious wounds  
Burdock Root: When the dug up root has been washed, it can be chewed into a pulp which is good for all cuts and scrapes, especially rat bites, even if they're infected.  
Burnet- Used in traveling herbs. Helps wounds heal faster.  
Catch Weed- Burrs can be used to help hold treatment onto a cat.  
Catmint\- used to treat whitecough and greencough; can help to relax a cat  
Celandine \- used to treat ailments of the eyes. Used to strengthen weak eyes.  
Chamomile \- used to calm a cat. Leaves and Flowers may be consumed to sooth a cat and add to their physical strength.  
Chervil\- used to treat bellyache. The juices of the leaves are used for infected wounds, and chewing the roots helps with bellyache.  
Chickweed\- used to help treat greencough. If there is no catmint around, it is a good substitute to counter greencough.  
Cobwebs \- used to stop bleeding. Generally only used with wounds that risk bleeding heavily as they can cause increased risk of infection.  
Coltsfoot: This flowering herb is effective against kittencough, and the leaves can be chewed into a pulp which can be eaten to help shortness of breath  
Comfrey \- used to treat broken bones  
Daisy Leaves- If chewed into a paste it can be a useful remedy for aching joints.  
Dandelion Leaves- used to calm a cat  
Deadly Nightshade- small dark purple berries that are just as poisonous as deathberries  
Deathberries\- Deathberries (known to Twolegs as yew) are so poisonous that a single berry can kill a young cat. Extremely deadly  
Dock\- Good for making a cat's coat as slippery as a fish, the leaf can also be chewed up and applied to soothe scratches. (Chew it up and spit it out to make a cat's coat slippery.)  
Dried Oak Leaf- Used to stop infections.  
Echinacea- Used to ease infection.  
Ragwort-Even though ragwort is used for medicinal uses, it is highly poisonous, as it often gets cows and horses very sick. Use yarrow right away. Juniper also helps afterward. Don't eat!  
Ferns\- Used to clean out wounds.  
Feverfew \- used to cool feverish cats and treat head pain. Leaves can be used to reduce fever, in addition to being consumed to aid against colds and stomach ailments.  
Foxglove- Seeds are used to help the heart, but they can EASILY cause paralysis and heart failure. The leaves are used on deep wounds to stop bleeding quickly. ALMOST ALWAYS KILLS! USE AS A LAST RESORT (IF EVER)!  
Ginger- used for asthma and coughs  
Goldenrod: A poultice of goldenrod is great for healing wounds, and can also help aching joints and stiffness.  
Grass\- use to treat bellyache  
Gumweed\- Helps seal wounds from infection and helps to heal the wound quicker  
Hawthorn Berries- Used for indigestion  
Hedgehog Buds- Used to treat/cure runny noses  
Holly Berries- POISONOUS! While not as dangerous as deathberries, they are still a danger to kits.  
Honey \- used to treat sore throats. Particularly good for smoke inhalation.  
Horsetail: The leaves of this tall plant can be used to treat infected wounds, usually by being chewed up for a poultice. The sap can also be used in combination with cobwebs to stop heavy bleeding  
Iris\- Used to stimulate breathing during the birthing process; can also be used for kit's sore throats. Everything but the petals is poisonous.  
Ivy- Used to help calm a cat and help heal small scrapes. Also used for coughs, if nothing else is available.  
Juniper Berries - used to treat bellyache. Berries ease the stomach and can serve as a counter poison. Leaves are used to ease coughs and other respiratory problems. Also used to help treat shock.  
Lamb's Ear- used to give a cat strength  
Lavender\- Leaves &amp; flowers are particularly good when eaten for easing pains in head and throat, and curing fever. Inhaling the scent of fresh flowers can also calm the nerves.  
Lotus- Used as an energizer to help keep you awake.  
Mallow\- Used to treat bellyaches.  
Marigold: The petals or leaves can be chewed into a pulp for a poultice to wounds, as well as stopping infections. One of the best herbs for cracked paw pads. If eaten can make a cat expel poisons from the body by vomiting.  
Milkweed- Use to treat sores or burns. Do not use around ears or eyes. Poisonous when eaten.  
Moss- Makes good bedding  
Mouse bile - used to remove ticks from a cat's coat. Press on ticks. Soon they'll drop off. Warning! Do NOT eat mouse bile or you'll have that horrible taste in your mouth for days! To carry around, put mouse bile in a big leaf and wrap up the leaf and you can carry. Be sure to wash your paws when done. In a stream of course!  
Narcissus- Soothes a cat when she is having contractions  
Nettle (leaves) - The leaves are applied to reduce swelling  
Nettle (seeds) - used to counter poison. The seeds are swallowed  
Parsley- Used to stop the flow of a queen's milk.  
Pawpaw- Used to treat kittencough  
Poppy Seeds: The best herb there is to numb pain, distress, and shock and ensure a good night's sleep  
Ragweed\- used to give a cat strength *similar to Lamb's Ear  
Ragwort-use alongside juniper berries in a poultice to treat aching joints  
Raspberry\- An herb used in kitting, It could be a painkiller, or to help stop bleeding during the kitting.  
Rosinweed- Used to clean out the system when poisons have been digested  
Rush- Used to bind broken bones  
Sage Roots- Use for cracked pads, use with poppy seeds  
Skullcap Seeds- Used to give a cat extra strength  
Snakeroot \- used to counter poison  
Sorrel\- used to soothe scratches  
Stinging nettle- The leaves are used to reduce swelling. The seeds are used to counter poison by inducing vomiting.  
Tansy \- used to treat coughs. Leaves may be chewed to relive joint aches. Flowers should be consumed to remove coughs. Pregnant Queens should NEVER be given Tansy, because it causes miscarriages.  
Thyme \- Should be consumed to calm the anxious cat, or to aid in brining restful sleep.  
Water mint- The best cure for bellyaches. Eat. Has a really good minty taste, you'll know when you eat it.  
Wild Garlic - rolling in this can help to keep out infection. If you're got lots of cuts and scrapes, especially from rat bites, make sure you roll in some wild garlic to keep out infection.  
Willow Tree- Water from beneath the bark of the flowering willow may be dripped into the eyes to help clear blurriness of vision. It may also be applied to dry patches of skin to sooth itches. Small amounts of Willow Bark may be consumed to ease pain, act against inflammation, and to ease diarrhea or fevers.  
Windflower\- Used to treat stomach cramps, such as when a she-cat becomes pregnant  
Witch Hazel- Used to give you an extra boost, this will wake you up (energizer)  
Yarrow \- used to make a cat vomit and expel poisons from the body. Entire plant should be consumed to induce vomiting. Entire plant should be chewed and applied to wounds to relive pain and prevent infection. Only give it to cats that ate something poisonous. Sometimes when cats are really sick yarrow is used to make the patient vomit out the sickness. That only works sometimes. This herb can also be used as an ointment, used to soften paw pads  
Yew (Deathberries) (Night Seeds) - POISONOUS! Roots &amp; leaves may be chewed together and applied to sore places. If a cat eats them (most likely a kit), then scoop all the berry leftovers out of their mouth. Then force them to swallow yarrow. The victim will vomit out most of the poison, but not all of it. They will be very sick for the next few days.


End file.
